Love no Jutsu
by calciseptine
Summary: ON HIATUS.
1. Drabble I

Only Fools  
Drabble  
Steve-no-Berry  
684 Words  
Sasuke/Naruto

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Uzumaki Naruto wondered why, at the age of twenty, he still had not fallen in love.

"How do you know?" he asked Sakura when she showed him her engagement ring, her pretty face flushed with excitement. "How do you know you love him?"

"I just do," she replied confidently, as though there were no doubt in her mind concerning the subject. "I mean, he drives me crazy sometimes and we fight sometimes but he… he's just so… you know?"

Naruto thought about it for a moment before deciding that no, he did not, because the only person that drove him crazy was Sasuke and the only person he fought with was Sasuke. Still, he nodded anyway so that Sakura would not lose that pleased blush, and congratulated her once more on her impending marriage.

"-and she just said that even though they fought and drove each other nuts they still loved each other," he explained to his former teacher that afternoon over a bowl of beef ramen, hot and fresh and steaming. "Is that what it's like for you and Kakashi-sensei?"

Iruka laughed good-naturedly. "That's what all couples are like, Naruto. All healthy relationships involve disagreement; it's how the couple works through them that determines how strong the relationship is. Agree to disagree, and learn to compromise."

Naruto thought of how he and Sasuke tried to drive the other into the dirt to solve their disagreements.

"But it is like Sakura-chan said," the older nin continued, waving his chopsticks at the blond. "When you're in love with someone, you simply know that you're in love –you may not understand it and you may not want it, but those feelings are still _there_."

This left Naruto more confused than before. "I know what it's like to have emotions that are impossible to describe," he told Tsunade in the evening as he helped her file papers as part of his so-called Hokage training, thinking once more of Sasuke; so much lay between them, unspoken but acknowledged, simply content with being. "But it still makes no sense."

"Love isn't supposed to make sense, kid," Tsunade snorted as she separated the pile on her desk, handing half to Naruto. "It makes fools of those who are in love and makes those fools do foolish things in the name of it." At this the old woman smiled cynically. "Still, love is the most powerful force I know of. It gives cowards bravery and weaklings strength. It transforms us because we know, on a fundamental level, that we need to protect the people we love otherwise we have nothing."

"As in a precious person?" Naruto asked.

"As in a precious person," Tsunade agreed before hardening her expression. "Now, enough talking. Get those reports to Shizune," she dismissed him abruptly and he was left with his mind in a whirl. He remembered what it had been like to see Sasuke fall –on the bridge in Wave, to Orochimaru's hand, in the genjutsu of his now deceased brother's Sharingan- and how it had made him so angry that he had abandoned all of his senses in order to save the person he considered most precious to him.

"I still don't know what love is," he confessed to Sasuke when he arrived to their shared flat late that evening after the sun had gone down, gratefully accepting the meal that the Uchiha had prepared and reheated for him in the microwave. "It's like the more I try to figure it out, the larger my headache becomes. I keep on thinking that one day it will just hit me and I won't be so… I don't know."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at him.

"I'm beginning to think that I'll never fall in love," he admitted, and Sasuke's dark hair fell into his dark eyes. "Do you think you'll ever fall in love with somebody Sasuke?"

The other man shrugged one shoulder. "I already have," he replied, and turned back to the scroll he had been reading as Naruto gaped at him. "I'm just waiting for the idiot to realize that he loves me back."

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Disclaimer: _Naruto ©_ Kishimoto Masashi  
Author's Notes: Merp, why does Naruto have to be so oblivious?


	2. Drabble II

Only Fools  
Drabble II  
Steve-no-Berry  
782 Words  
Sasuke/Naruto

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Uchiha Sasuke knew that he never should have told the idiot.

"So," Naruto glanced at him sideways as he calmly finished his meal –miso ramen, which was slightly more agreeable to his palate than the beef ramen Naruto inhaled- and he felt a headache stir between his eyes. "Does he know how you feel?"

"No," Sasuke replied curtly. Since that incident three nights ago Naruto had become adamant in figuring out just who Sasuke had fallen in love with, a task that was easier declared –rather loudly at that- than accomplished.

Naruto stuck his tongue out. He had grown over the years into a tall, muscular man with a sunny disposition and a strong laugh. His body had lost the roundness it held in his youth and the new sharp angles of adulthood made him appear intelligent and wise; he had matured from the delinquent that used to paint graffiti on his predecessors carved faces. Still, he remained annoyingly curious and thick-headed, traits that Sasuke found endearing when he was neither irritated with the blond or not too proud to give definition to his emotions, which was to say, very rarely.

"Anou saa, anou saa…" Naruto put his chin in his hands. "I don't know why you don't tell him. If I were in love with someone, I'd let them know."

Sasuke vaguely remembered their genin days when the blond shouted his love for Sakura with all the force in his lungs, as though he wished for the entire village to hear him. The brunet frowned at the thought, though whether it was because Sakura was a girl or because Naruto had loved Sakura he didn't quite know. Perhaps a bit of both.

"-and if you're worried because you're in love with another guy you shouldn't be, cause nobody really cares about that. Not anyone that matters anyway, me or Sakura or Tsunade-baa-chan or Iruka-sensei –I mean, he's been with Kakashi-sensei for seven years now and-"

That headache was certainly developing quickly and Sasuke took a deep breath to keep himself from strangling the chattering blond. Though his attitude towards his companion had always been an odd mixture of wanting to kill Naruto and wanting to kiss him, at that moment it was dangerously swerving to the former.

"-you're not bad looking either, if you like the tall, dark, and brooding look. I think Sakura once said that you were attractive because you were mysterious and silent; I don't get why girls like that sort of thing. In any case, you're very handsome and I bet that the guy you like would love to know that you love him because damnit you're Uchiha Sasuke-"

"Naruto," Sasuke growled, but the blond didn't hear him.

"-or maybe you could tell me who you liked and then I could set up a blind date or something like that. Or maybe I could invite him to the flat and we could have dinner and you could tell him then. Or we could get Ino to send him some flowers because everyone likes flowers and candy –mochi or dango would be a great first date snack-"

"Naruto, shut up," Sasuke growled again, but in the heat of his tirade, Naruto still was deaf to him.

"-what does he like anyway? I guess my perfect date would be dinner here at Ichiraku, just like the one we had, and then we'd go back to the flat and watch a movie and then we'd kiss but that's it cause it would be a little awkward at first, wouldn't it? Kissing. Are you even good at kissing, Sasuke? I can't imagine you not being good at kissing because you're good at everything. It's a little ridiculous you know. How is someone supposed to approach you when you're so unapproachable? Not everyone knows you like I know you, not even Sakura or Kakashi-sensei, and you'd kill me if I told anyone that you hum when you cook or fall asleep with your mouth open when you wait up for me on the couch-"

Sasuke, his patience lost, kicked him viciously in the shin.

"Damn!" Naruto yelped and fell off his stool, crashing to the ground impressively. His rant had been officially severed, and Sasuke found that his headache was greatly appreciative. "What did you do that for, Sasuke-teme?!"

"Because you're an idiot." Sasuke replied simply, placing enough money on the counter to pay for their meals. Somehow over time his family's fortune had become Naruto's Ramen Fund, but he couldn't quite bring himself to care. He stood, shoved his hands in his pockets and smirked at the blond on the floor. "Now shut up. We're going to go rent a movie."

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Disclaimer: _Naruto_ © Kishimoto Masashi  
Author's Notes: This story has turned into a bit of a monster. Stayed tuned for the next installment!  
Quote from Katie That Made Me Laugh: Haha, oh Sasuke. I love where this is going. They're so domestic!


	3. Drabble III

Only Fools  
Drabble III  
Steve-no-Berry  
661 Words  
Sasuke/Naruto

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The heat of summer was building as it often did in those as few days, promising to be brutal before it broke and gave way to autumn. Sweating underneath the sun, Naruto shaded his eyes with his hand and scanned the crowd for a head of dark hair. He couldn't spot Sasuke though, and he leaned back into the shade of the mission report building with a heavy sigh and closed his eyes. It wasn't like Sasuke to be late.

"Maa, Naruto," a familiar voice chirped into his ear suddenly, and the blond started. "Going to lunch with Sasuke again?"

Kakashi smiled pleasantly at the glare Naruto gave him, looking cool in his mask despite the obscene temperature. "Yes," Naruto replied once his irritation subsided; he could feel the sweat trickling down the sides of his face and he wiped it away stubbornly. "Are you here to see Iruka-sensei?"

The jounin's smile grew underneath his mask. "Of course," he answered, and brandished a decrepit scroll in front of Naruto's face. It looked as though it had been recently wiped free of dust. "And I brought a peace offering as well, so he can't kick me out again."

Naruto laughed good-naturedly at his former teacher, and they stood together in a companionable silence, watching the surge and flow of the noon crowd.

"Iruka told me about Sasuke, about him being in love," the silver haired man began, and Naruto frowned a bit, even though he should have expected it. Iruka and Kakashi were, after all, lovers, and they both cared for Naruto. "I was wondering what he's told you."

"Nothing," Naruto growled. "It's absolutely ridiculous. He's in love, but he refuses to tell the person that he does. Proud, stuck-up bastard."

Kakashi smiled wanly. "He has always been a very private person."

"That's no excuse!" Naruto gestured wildly as he spoke. "If you're in love, you're supposed to do something about it!"

"I think he is," Kakashi said slowly. "I think, Naruto, that you aren't giving Sasuke any of the credit he deserves. He's always been a little shy, and I think he's afraid of being rejected. Sasuke has been in love for a very long time, and I'm guessing he'd rather have the other person figure it out so he didn't have to admit anything that would damage the relationship he already has."

Naruto blinked at Kakashi's theory. It made a lot of sense; Sasuke always put his feelings into actions rather than words. Still, the blond had a hard time wrapping his mind around Sasuke's hesitant approach. If Naruto had been in love for a "very long time", he never would have been able to contain his emotions.

"Are you really in that much of a hurry to get rid of him?" Kakashi continued. "I thought you were getting along really well these days. No ground has been leveled since last spring."

Naruto looked curiously at the older man. "What do you mean, get rid of him?" he asked.

"Maa, isn't it obvious?" the jounin rubbed his masked face. "Sasuke's probation ends in less than a week, doesn't it? And when it does, he'll probably move out, especially if his feelings end up being reciprocated. Good for Sasuke, but…"

Naruto felt his stomach drop to his toes. _But-_

"Ah, just forget it, Naruto," Kakashi shrugged, and ruffled Naruto's hair, an odd gesture considering Naruto had grown taller than the jounin. "I'm sure that it will turn out just fine."

But Sasuke arrived five minutes after Naruto and Kakashi exchanged goodbyes, late. The dark-haired shinobi touched his arm gently. "You look pale," he said monotonously, though there was a hint of worry in his eyes.

"It's nothing," Naruto replied, and he brushed Sasuke's fingers off. He plastered on his fake, sunny smile and Sasuke frowned; he knew Naruto too well, and he saw directly through his act. "It's just so hot, yeah?"

_-but what will you do when he's gone, Naruto?_

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Disclaimer: _Naruto_ © Kishimoto Masashi  
Author's Notes: Sorry for the lateness! This is un-beta-ed, because Katie's busy, but I thought you'd want it anyway. OMG, is that background information and plot development I smell? Stay tuned!


	4. Author's Notice

Whoa, this is completely illegal but I'm doing it anyway.

I just wanted everyone to know that I really, really appreciate all the responses I've gotten from you, and it keeps me going. I'm really sorry that the updates have been... nonexistent, but the story wasn't going the way I wanted it to. Now before you panic, I am finishing this! It's just that it works to my advantage to rework it and make it a one-shot instead of these little mini-chapters. I'll have the one-shot posted on July 14, as a little celebration for my half birthday. So when you go to read it, don't be surprised when there's only one chapter.

Thank you all so much! I hope you're all having a great summer!

With many fangirl glomps,  
Steve


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